It actually began with pancakes, primarily because I had run out of cereal. The price of cereal is often ridiculous so we buy supermarkets' own brand which is usually just as good as brands like Kelloggs. On this occasion I had run out - so pancakes it was with orange and sugar. I prefer lemon and sugar but we had oranges that needed using up.
Walked down to drop some things off at the Methodist Church for the coming forget me not cafe on Tuesday and then went to the chemists to pick up a repeat prescription for the other four fifths.
She ordered this a week ago but on going to pick it up we were told "we are in the process of doing that" which is what they always say when they haven't put something together. I always order my medication two weeks before I need it. Thankfully we only had to wait a few minutes. We then had to wait 15 minutes for a bus into Norwich.
And that's how I met Mr Puddle. Water was gurgling up from a drain and leaving surface water which passing vehicles were spraying onto the path. So had to stand away from the road. Many cars saw the problem and pulled into the centre of the road. A Warburton's lorry didn't and had I have been standing or sitting in the bus shelter I would have received a soaking.
Warning alert. I'm about to use a swear word. It's actually a quote from a song so I don't feel too bad about it.
In the words of the late great and missed Ian Dury "there ain't half been some clever bastards... Clever bastards." That quote comes from a song entitled (not surprisingly) "There ain't half been some clever bastards" and the chorus is:
There ain't half been some clever bastards
(Lucky bleeders, lucky bleeders)
There ain't half been some clever bas-tards.
Swear words over - you can continue reading now. It was a conversation I had with the other four fifths about how many hugely talented artists we know in our village. Some truly seem to be beyond talented. I say this as somebody who can't draw a thing. I was always hopeless at art. Any small talent I have comes through words and not pastels, oils, watercolours and the like. I would love to be able to paint but I fear it's never going to happen.
But we know so many superb artists. I won't name them because I would leave so many out as I know there are many more. I would very much like to feature some in Hethersett Herald with examples of work. So if you are an artist and would like to be featured just send me images of your work that you would be happy to see published along with a few details about yourself.
But moving on. There's nothing much to report about the journey into Norwich. St Stephen's, which used to be the main shopping area, is now looking rather dull. Wilco has shut and the Poundland shop next to it lies empty. Poundland has moved into the former British Home Stores on the other side of the street which has brightened that shop up. But the street does look a bit down at heel.
Norwich has two malls. The original is the Castle Mall which now refers to itself as the Castle Quarter. I went there a few days ago and it's suffering, with many units shut. The other mall used to be known as the Chapel Field Mall until it changed it's name for some unknown reason to Chantry Place. Chapel Field Mall seemed good to me. It is close to Chapel Field Gardens and is a mall- job done as they might say. But no it has a posh new name.
This mall is pretty vibrant. We got some photos printed off of baby Lyla and I was able to help a lady who was all at sea with connecting her mobile to the machine.
When I'm trying to find something I often glaze over. The other four fifths bought a photo frame in Tiger and it was in centimetres and she needed to know what the frame was in inches. So I walked round half the floor of the store only to find that the photo frames were about five yards from where we were (now what is that in metres?)
We then had a very interesting half hour or so after deciding to have coffee in St Stephen's Church which is a strange building through no fault of its own. The path from Theatre Street to Chantry Place goes through the church's graveyard and next to the church.
Inside there's a large space and a very inexpensive cafe - two cups of coffee and a large slice of lemon drizzle cake for £4.70. I've never had a good look round the church so that is exactly what we did and I took photos. We had a chat with a lady who told us about the extensive damage suffered by the church during the Blitz, something I felt I should have known.
We walked to The Forum for the Makers' Festival I mentioned yesterday and was intrigued by the history of the textile industry in Norwich and the days when Norwich was one of the primary manufacturers of luxury shawls. There was also plenty about the visit of Queen Elizabeth First during what was known as her progress around the country.
Primarily we were there to see Margaret Seaman's collection of knitted wonders as mentioned yesterday. And there they all were in their very own room and I hope my hastily taken photos convey just a little of their splendour. Margaret and her daughter were selling some knitted creations to raise even more money for charity.
We bought a knitted model of a beach hut. They had huts in all kinds of colours so it was difficult to decide which to have. After lengthy consideration we decided on an orange and white with a touch of blue. I viewed this purchase as buying a small piece of Norfolk history. If you live in touching distance of Norwich do go along to the festival which continues all this week. If you aren't in touching distance of Norwich I hope at least you get some flavour from the photos.
Well what about some food we thought and what a whopping sausage I had. A roll filled with sausage and onion and cheese that was melted with a blow torch (yes you read that correctly).
That whopper cost £4 and we ate it (half each for me and the other four fifths and as the mathematicians amongst you will know when you add four-fifths and one-half you get one and three-tenths) in the memorial gardens overlooking the market - a resplendent view when the sun is out and the sky is blue.
Got home in time to find out the football results and Norwich had a very good win at Preston and it looks as if we are heading from the play offs again.
Now the evening was full of memories. Four of us headed off to Hellesdon Community Centre for a country dance to the Mustangs. Friend of our Forget Me Not cafe Mike Delph is in the band and we have been meaning to support him in one of his monthly gigs for some time as he's been so kind in playing and taking part in our meetings.
It was also celebrating the birthday of one of our helpers. So a double reason for going. I dropped the others off at the community centre and then drove half a mile to drop some more Hell in Paradise books off. Then returned to the gig/dance.
I have to say that country music isn't my bag. I find it much too constricting in format and the lyrics often trite but that's just me. It was a good evening. I did some dad dancing but the problem now is that it's turned into grandad dancing which is infinitely worse - a kind of shambling shuffle back and forwards and to the side.
The memories came flooding back because Hellesdon Recreation Ground is where I spent so much of my younger years playing football and cricket and tennis and messing around on the play equipment. I can't remember ever going into the community centre but I did use the library on a weekly basis.
The place has changed. There are now gates leading to the park, a one way system for getting in and out, a much larger car park and the play equipment seems to be aimed at a much younger clientele and has been moved from the back of the park to the front.
As I sat there I couldn't help but remember that this was the place that my mother and father went to on a Saturday evening whilst I went across to stay with my grandfather. I have no idea why they went there but I know there were regular whist drives. Do they still have whist drives?
I also have a photograph of my grandmother receiving a bouquet at the community centre on what I can only think was her 90th birthday.
And that was my very busy Saturday. Enjoy the photographs.